Once again the issue of singing of Vande Mataram surfaced in the State and reignited debate and gradually reached at national level. As two public representatives in states commercial capital’s corporation denied to sing the National Song in a meeting. Led to heated argument in the meeting and divided the house between Congress and BJP workers rather than member of local body who sat to discuss the core agenda of budget for the State’s mega city Indore. It has sparked a controversy and debate in the entire State.

 

The BJP on Friday attacked the Congress for allegedly insulting the national song, Vande Mataram, and claimed that the opposition INDIA bloc prioritises vote bank politics over the nation’s dignity. Ruling party members alleged that Congress has put the religious beliefs of a section of society above national dignity. Congress leaders in the State called it unnecessary propaganda created by BJP leaders and making it an issue. Although members of lawyer fraternity questioned over Constitutional status of recitation of National Song in any such forum. Matter began when two Congress councillors in Indore, Fauzia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal, refused to sing Vande Mataram during an Indore Municipal Corporation budget session on Wednesday, citing religious beliefs. The incident caused significant uproar and led to a temporary suspension of one member, causing a political showdown. When

 

‘The Hitavada’ spoke to a section of denizens they suggest, although Vande Mataram holds the honorary status of India’s National Song, it does not possess the same Constitutional status as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. This implies that, despite its immense patriotic value, Vande Mataram cannot be legally enforced. Citizens remain entirely free to express their respect in various ways of their own choosing. Highlighting the Supreme Court’s stance on compulsion of song, Constitution expert, Dinesh Thakur says,

 

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that no individual can be compelled to sing the National Anthem, provided they do not show disrespect towards it and merely stand respectfully. Furthermore, the court declined to make Vande Mataram mandatory, emphasising that patriotism cannot be measured through compulsion. The freedom of expression, protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, grants individuals the absolute liberty to choose how they wish to express their national respect. Citing the Madras High Court’s 2017 Verdict, another legal expert, Pankaj (Bhaya) opined that in 2017, the Madras High Court issued a directive stating that Vande Mataram should be sung in all schools and government offices across Tamil Nadu. However, the court also clarified that if any individual or institution faces genuine difficulty or objection, they should not be compelled to do so.

 

This made it abundantly clear that the order was advisory in nature, not mandatory. He further added, The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 comprehensively governs the respect accorded to the National Flag and the National Anthem; however, it contains no provisions regarding the regulation of the National Song. Consequently, refusing to sing Vande Mataram does not constitute a punishable offence. Amid all these, Indore Municipal Corporation’s budget with a total outlay of over Rs 8,455 crore was passed. On paper, it was said that major spending initiatives include urban infrastructure development, enhancing sanitation initiatives, and improving sewage treatment plants (STPs). But today the situation in cleanest city of the country yet to be addressed on ground level as the basic problems of water logging, traffic chaos and unplanned flyovers construction is making citizens miserable and financial burden on local body has rapidly been moving upward.